Game-based remedial instruction in mastery learning for upper-primary school students

TLDR

The study evaluates the effectiveness of game‑based versus video‑based remedial instruction within mastery learning for sixth‑grade students, aiming to integrate a Monopoly‑style game to practice mastery steps. The intervention uses a modified Monopoly game that incorporates area‑of‑circle problems, requires students to input answers to avoid multiple‑choice pitfalls, and delivers immediate remedial instruction when questions are answered incorrectly. Results show that both the instructional videos and the Monopoly game improve mathematical concept learning, but the game is more effective at leveraging mastery learning benefits.

Abstract

The study examines the effectiveness of using computer games for after-school remedial mastery learning. We incorporated instructional materials related to area of a circle into the popular Monopoly game to enhance the performance of sixth-grade students learning mathematics. The program requires that students enter the answers to avoid the shortcomings of multiple-choice questions. Throughout the game, whenever students are unable to answer questions correctly they receive immediate remedial instruction specifically for that question. This study sought to compare the effectiveness of game-based and video-based remedial instruction incorporated with elements of mastery learning. The results demonstrate that (a) both instructional videos and the proposed Monopoly game enhance the learning of mathematical concepts; and (b) the Monopoly game is more effective than instructional videos at leveraging the benefits of mastery learning. The goal of the research was to integrate games and mastery learning into after-school remedial instruction and design a game to practice the steps of mastery learning.